SMART Business Solutions is proud to support the Mornington Community Support Centre and The Ranch 2.0 - the Peninsula's only dedicated crisis accommodation.
The Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) has been a lifeline for the Mornington Peninsula since 1971. Operating from their hub at 320 Main Street, Mornington, MCSC provides emergency relief, food assistance, crisis accommodation and practical, wrap-around support to local people doing it tough - all delivered by a small team and an incredible network of volunteers.
From the Support Centre and Fresh Food program at 320 Main Street, to the Beach End Op Shop and community cafe, every service MCSC runs exists for one purpose: making sure no one in our community falls through the cracks.
people who were sleeping rough were housed by the original Ranch Motel over five years.
of those residents were supported into permanent housing outcomes.
units provided to MCSC rent-free for five years to become the Ranch 2.0.
In 2021, MCSC partnered with local agencies and Forefront Property to run The Ranch Motel as crisis accommodation. Over five years it provided a safe place to stay for 250 people who were sleeping rough - 60% of whom were supported to find permanent housing outcomes, while others unfortunately returned to homelessness. The Ranch Motel closed in 2026.
In 2022, MCSC and Peninsula Films recognised there were stories that needed to be listened to - those of local people experiencing homelessness and hardship. Those stories formed The Ranch, a powerful short documentary told by the community itself.
In May 2025, MCSC was generously provided a block of seven units in Mornington to be used for crisis accommodation. The units were purchased by two foundations - Payton and Upotipotpon - and are provided to MCSC under a five-year lease, at no cost. The building quickly became known as Ranch 2.0.
What followed was an incredible community-led effort: the Peninsula's Rotary groups, local businesses, schools and volunteers came together throughout 2025 to renovate the complex, creating a safe and welcoming home for its new residents.
The story reached a national audience in 2026 when Channel 9's The Block, filmed in Mt Eliza, selected Ranch 2.0 as its community project. Over four days in late April, contestants and the show's sponsors transformed the units, completely stripping, renovating and furnishing them. The reveal aired on 21 and 22 September 2026, with MCSC CEO Ben Smith announcing the winning team on reveal night. The episodes can still be viewed on 9Now.
We support MCSC because no one in our community should live in a tent. Their work turns crisis into stability for our neighbours - a bed, a meal, and a pathway to a permanent home. As a Mornington business, we're proud to back an organisation that shows up for this community every single day, and we're honoured to play a small part in the Ranch story.
Want to help too? You can learn more about The Ranch, watch the documentary, or donate directly via MCSC's website.
